Ireland to face Northern Ireland, Albania and Hungary in Women’s Nations League

The inaugural Uefa Women’s Nations League will kick off in September

Ireland celebrate after qualifying for the World Cup following victory over Scotland in Hampden Park last October. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Ireland celebrate after qualifying for the World Cup following victory over Scotland in Hampden Park last October. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

Ireland will face Northern Ireland, Albania and Hungary after they were drawn into Group B1 in League B for the inaugural Uefa Women’s Nations League.

The competition will commence in September, with further group ties fixed for October, November and December. Teams will play each other twice, home and away.

Tallaght Stadium will host Ireland’s home ties, with exact match details to be announced in due course.

Ireland manager Vera Pauw said that her side could begin to “plan according” having learned of their opponents for the Nations League campaign, but noted that “understandably”, the team’s immediate focus is on this summer’s World Cup finals.

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“Having the Uefa Nations League games gives us something to look forward to after the World Cup,” she said.

“For these Uefa Nations League games, we are under no illusion that they will be difficult challenges for us. We are the top-seeded team in League B but we cannot take anything for granted if we are to achieve our aim of topping our group and qualifying into League A.”

Winners of League B groups will be promoted to League A. The second-placed teams also have a route to promotion available through a play-off system.

Ireland begin their first-ever Women’s World Cup odyssey on July 20th, when they face competition hosts Australia in Syndey.

Fiachra Gallagher

Fiachra Gallagher

Fiachra Gallagher is an Irish Times journalist